Weekly Training Update (Aug 6)
Do not faint. We actually have dog training news to report. For the FIRST time since February 3, Lilly and I went to our advanced pet dog training class (drop-in) last Sunday. It’s a miracle. I know.
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And, the Culture Says …
As you may recall, during Ginko’s recent knee surgery, the surgeon found icky fistulas (or channels through soft tissue, where infection had burrowed in). He decided to culture a couple of those spots, just in case the infection required some super-duper kind of antibiotic. Essentially, they swabbed a couple areas and grew them in petri dishes to see what sprouted.
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Pounce!
The quest to stay somewhat sane, more than healthy, and not to flabby includes eeking out time to take Lilly for our usual 3-mile walk as often as I can muster. Last week, while we stood roadside as two cars passed us (one each direction), Lilly up and killed a poor little ground squirrel. I felt terrible.
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Lingering Fear
After the recent rattlesnake scare, our friend Debbie Jacobs from FearfulDogs.com pointed out that I said I was still upset, shaken, feeling the effects of the fear hours later. The truth is this VERY BIG scare hung remained active in my body for days. And, as Debbie reminded us, that’s an important lesson when dealing with a fearful dog.
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Ginko’s Week in Pictures
Once again, we come to the end of the week, with all of us just tired to the bone. Especially, sweetie-boy Ginko … who has been recovering from his knee surgery Monday. We’ll let the photos tell the tale.
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Ginko Surgery Update
After a nervous morning, waiting for the phone to ring, I heard from the orthopedic surgeon around noon. Ginko did fine, with strong vitals throughout his 2 hours or so under anesthesia. The surgeon waited to call until Ginko was awake from the sedation, but he reported that Ginko was “drunk as a monkey” on pain meds and the like. So, I’m glad to hear he is resting comfortably. Woozy, maybe, but comfortably.
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Ginko in Surgery Today
Today, Ginko goes under for his third knee surgery in his 10 years. Surgeons sawed apart and screwed each knee back together (a procedure called TPLO) at age 3. Due to increasing problems with his right knee, they’ll take that hardware out in hopes of solving his pain issues. Last week, even with two different…
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Ginko, The Hero!
Ginko is a doggone, five-star, full-fledged HERO! This morning, he protected Lilly from a rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike mere feet from the back of the house. I’m still shaking, and it’s been a few hours since it happened.
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Weekly Training Update (July 16)
I know. I know. The headline ONLY works if I’m actually updating you every week on our dog training progress. But, I’ve already reported this week on a couple breakthroughs with the scary kitchen window and the thing about NOT coming inside only in the summer, only at night. So, today … just a quick note about Lilly’s first trip to the Farmer’s Market this summer.
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Another Breakthrough: Summertime Fears
While we’re on a roll, let me add that we seem to have overcome Lilly’s fears of coming inside the house, only at night and only in the summer. It has been one of the most puzzling of her fears over the years.